New HUGE 1960 Buick website

[Guest 70 Electra]

Just wanted to give any interested folks a heads-up that I've revised, improved, enlarged, and RELOCATED my 1960 Buick website.

It now consists of over 30 double-length pages, has material organized by like topics, and is MUCH easier to navigate through. It remains the only web resource dedicated strictly to 1960 Buicks.

In addition to the previous material, new/enhanced topics include:

1. Pictures and history of XP75 (2-seat Farina-built concept) and XP706 (forerunner of Invicta Custom)

2. Interviews with actual GM stylists of the 1960 Buick

3. VIN and body tag decoding info

4. Detailed information on the vast array of mid-year model changes

5. Photos and discussion about 1960 Buicks with unique and/or rare equipment

6. Discussion of the Invicta Custom, including wagons

7. Section on the Ionia-bodied wagons

8. A section with "period" 1960 Buick snapshots

9. Enhanced section on rust

10. Expanded coverage of wrecked 1960 Buicks

11. Much much more!

If this sounds interesting to you, please visit www.the1960buick.com

[Do NOT rely on any bookmarks you may have saved in the past. The old site was hosted by AOL and any bookmarks you have will take you to the "old" AOL URL. I've now opted for what they call "masked" forwarding, so your browser window should now show www.the1960buick.com , and not the URL of my ISP host. This will allow you to bookmark the new site and you'll be all set for the future, even if I should happen to relocate again. You will recognize the new site and new location by the beige background and the Table of Contents on the home page.]

THANKS to everyone that has visited my site in the past. I hope you find the "new and improved" version to be worth the trip!

[Dave@Moon]

<span style="font-weight: bold">WOW!</span>

Thanks Greg. The site is overwhelming. I'll be spend a lot more time there when I'm not busy still putting my kids Chrismas stuff together!

[Smartin]

Great site, Greg!!!

[55PackardGuy]

Thanks for the heads-up on the new location. Your site has been on my "favorites" list for a long time. I've given quite a few people directions there, particularly people who like the French Connection movie. It's fun to point them to the REAL car! You must have been very busy to improve on an already great site.

[page2171]

Greg, that is absolutely incredible. I was a frequent visitor to the old site after finding it while looking for infomation on my 62.

Brian

[Guest imported_MrEarl]

Awesome site Greg!! A true labor of love if ever there was.

[Guest Skyking]

Greg.....Outstanding site!! It makes me want to start looking for a '60 convert. Yours is a beautiful example!

[Guest ewing]

excellent site

there are many site developers that could learn a few lessons here.

Huge, organized resource

thanks for all the great info.

[variablepitch]

Thanks so much for the link to your website. It's a great resource and really well done. Since I have a '60 Invicta, it's right on the top of my list!

LeeB

'60 Invicta four door hardtop

[Centurion]

Greg, the site is excellent. Your careful research and organization has paid off! In many respects, I think that your site is the "standard" for sites dedicated to a specific year and make. Thanks for providing the link.

[Gene Brink]

Thanks, Greg. Went through all of my favorites a couple of weeks ago and could not raise yours and was fearful it was gone forever. Glad it isn't!

[Philippe Racicot]

Greg, your website was already great, now it's awesome! Now I wish there were sites like yours for the other years!

[Guest 70 Electra]

Thanks, all, for the kind words. It was a lot of work, but also a lot of fun, and I'm glad that Buick enthusiasts are enjoying it.

Since the debut of www.the1960buick.com a week ago, I've received over 1000 hits. I've made a number of minor corrections and revisions (from version 2.0 to 2.2) based on feedback from readers.

It's tough for independent sites like this to get picked up on the search engines, so I'd encourage anyone with a car-related website to consider adding a link to my site. That will help with exposure, and make it more available to a larger audience.

[Guest Shaffer]

Excellent website Greg! Makes me wish I had of bought that local 60' Electra 225 Riviera 4dr hardtop sedan. I never even went to look at it. I do know that it was extremely highly optioned, including A/C, electric windows, electric seat, ect.

After seeing those 60's on there, I regret that I did not.

Excellent site though. I will be looking at it for a while. A lot of super info there.

[Guest 70 Electra]

Shaffer:

Thanks. That'd be great, if the site helps to save any 1960 Buicks by making readers buy one!

New News on the Canadian content of the site:

I'm pleased to report that, thanks to Mr.Racicot, I now have a picture of a Canadian VIN plate on the site. It is quite different from US models, and incorporates the engine number in addition to vehicle number.

Also, I've just acquired the detailed model-by-model production figures for Canadian-built 1960 Buicks. I will be adding those to the site within the next week.

[Centurion]

Greg, I would be curious to learn about the source for the Canadian production breakdown. This would be great to obtain for the '59's as well. So far, I've learned nothing regarding possible interior differences between the U.S. and Canadian '59 Buicks.

[TG57Roadmaster]

What a great site! Now our '60 Invicta flat top (Chalet Blue & Arctic White) will have lots of company. "Miss Louise", so named for her first owner, a li'l old lady who bought it new & learned to drive in it at an advanced age, has @ 62K miles. She's in the AACA's HPOF class, all original save for new carpet & tires.

This site should be viewed by anyone who loves cars & wants to see what the "original vs. restored car" debate is all about. There's a big difference between maintenance and restoration. I've taken my '57 Roadmaster 4dr Riviera (the "Roadmistress", Dresden Blue & Dover white) all over the country, and am glad the clubs are finally giving unrestored/drivers the respect they deserve. Yes, the upholstery, carpet & trunk lining had to be redone, but I love every inch of the rest of its (mostly) original patina; all 215.3 inches & 135K miles of 'em.

We don't all have palates of cash laying around to lavish on our vehicles. As for the trophy whores, more power to ya, but to paraphrase an old gent's article years ago in Old Cars Weekly, "I DRIVE my trophy". Please don't get me wrong, I admire all the time, sweat, $$$$$, and even blood that goes into restored cars; but at 48, I'm practically a spring chicken in this hobby/billion dollar business. How will we attract young folks to perpetuate it if the price tag is prohibitive?

So, however deep your pockets are, keep 'em rolling and be proud of what you have. There's room for everyone; I just wish we could all find time capsules like Greg's incredible '60 LeSabre!

Respectfully,

Tom Gibson

[TG57Roadmaster]

Greetings '60 Buick fans,

Enclosed is a newly-acquired GM Photographic pic of a '60 Electra 225 flattop. It came in a Buick Motor Division envelope dated 2/16/61, sent to one Kenny Pickerell, RFD # 1, Russelville, Ohio. I imagine little Kenny wanted some Buick brochures & pix, 'cause there were '60 & '61 pix & brochures included in the mailing. The photo really accentuates the tortured sheet metal that makes the '60 such a baroque beauty!

This was when GM was still on top & Buick was a Motor Division, a marque, even though they'd slipped to 9th place in the sales race. It was long before the "Brand Management" wienies took over & Buick became a "Brand". I can hear the Human Resources interview process now...

HR rep; "So, Mr. Smith, you're interested in a job with the Buick Brand."

Mr. S.; "Yes, as you can see by my resume, when I worked for 'Company X', our sales for Baby Wipes increased by 4.67% & market penetration increased by 2.58%."

HR rep; "Very impressive results, please continue."

Mr. S.; "Then I moved to 'Company Y' & sales for Pork Rinds skyrocketed to 6.73%".

HR rep; "Well Mr. Smith, congratulations, I think we you're just the right type for our B.M. Team! Just take this paperwork in quadruplicate to the Personnel Labyrinth on floors 18-25 in Tower 3 here at the Renaissance Center and..."

The result of all this B.M. bull is GM spiraling downward, Delphi (the formally formidable DELCO) in bankruptcy & Buick introducing (yet another) HOT 4-door sedan in an already saturated market. What the heck happened?!

Yesterday, as I was driving my '57 Roadmaster, I saw one of those newer Buicks w/the 3 glued on VentiPorts & didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Thank the Gods that they're no longer using those smarmy "Ghost of Harley Earl" ads; poor Mr. Earl is probably still spinning in his grave at unimaginably high RPM's.

On a lighter note, I recommend the book, "Boulevard Photographic; The Art Of Automobile Advertising", (ISBN 0-7603-0305-3). B.P. was a Detroit company that serviced the auto industry from the mid-50's to 1990; very good reading, w/lots of pix you'll recognize that made their way into the brochures many of us collect.

Keep 'em rolling!

Tom Gibson

[Centurion]

Tom, your '60 Invicta is a truly beautiful car, and I love that original publicity photo of the 1960 Electra. I believe that this is a standard Electra series car, since it appears to lack the wide, lower body ribbed moldings of the Electra 225.

Greg, you might want to consider adding -- at some point in the future -- a 1960 registry to your site as a means of further documenting the surviving 1960 Buicks like yours and Tom's.

[TG57Roadmaster]

Hi Brian,

Thanks for the good words re Miss Louise; you should see the scratches on the glass by the lock button on driver's side door. She must have had one honking big diamond ring!

As to the Electra vs. 225 issue, the GM Photo is marked on back "Electra 225". I've been informed that both Electras & 225's have the ribbed strip between the taillights. My scan of the photo was done @ 200 dpi; next time, I'll do a higher res scan. That's probably why you can't make out the lower-body ribbing running from the back of the front wheelwell to the rear bumper. When I put a lupe on the trunk emblem, I see a very faint 225, as well.

I've sent the Invicta's VIN data to Greg for inclusion in his '60 registry & included a pretty pic of her on the Blue Ridge Parkway...Enjoy!

Tom Gibson

[Guest 70 Electra]

Thanks, Tom, for providing the data on your beautiful Invicta. I've added it to my database.

As a reminder to others, I am seeking info on all surviving 1960 Buicks, regardless of condition. I'm looking for a description of the car (colors, equip), a description of current condition, VIN number (for positive ID and to avoid duplicate entries). Pictures are encouraged, and info from the body tag is helpful, too. You can reach me by going to the website and clicking the EMAIL link I (there's one on every page).

Thanks,

[Centurion]

Tom, thanks for your comments on the factory publicity photo. I now see the vertical edge of the rear quarter bright molding, just ahead of the rear bumper on the '60. This should have been my clue regarding the presence of the wide, ribbed moldings on the car in the photo.

Regarding the ribbed moldings on the rear panel, extending between the taillamps and the license plate, I'm thinking that both Electras and Electra 225's carried this trim in 1960. Am I mistaken about this?

Lee, I hope that you will also submit the details of your fine Invicta to Greg.

[TG57Roadmaster]

Brian,

I got the Electra non-ribbed info from the '60 brochure; the Electra folio shows a coupe 3/4 rear shot without the ribbing between the taillights. They may well have changed it by the time the cars came out. When in doubt, ask Greg...he'll certainly know.

I've included a 50's-era postcard aerial shot of Buick Main that I got at the BCA Nat'l in Columbus, OH. Also picked up a VERY cool cigar tray from the "Flint Industrial Executives Club" dated 1947-1948. On the back the casting reads; Compliments of Fisher Body, Flint No. 1.

The guy I bought it from was a musician & swiped it during a gig he played there once. I later found out a good friend here in SC, Ken O'Rourke, was once Prez of that club when he worked at Buick in the 60,s. Ken retired from Buick, then worked for Michelin & retired from there, too. Talk about double-dipping!

Tom Gibson

[Guest 70 Electra]

Centurion,

In the famous words of Johnny Carson's sidekick Ed MacMahon: "You are CORRECT, sir!"

The ribbed taillamp panel was on ALL Electras, both 225 and non-225.

[TG57Roadmaster]

Make sure you check out the April 2006 issue of Colletible Automobile, featuring '59-'63 Invictas. The back page has a gorgeous '60 Invicta Estate Wagon, Model 4635, 2-seats; production 3,471. The Pearl Fawn/Tahitian Beige beauty has the Custom bucket seat option. More '60 coverage is in the story, but how many wagons do you think came w/buckets?!

My latest BCA Roster (2001) shows 1 Model 4635, with the same owner as in the CA article. I called CA's Editor, John Biel, to see if I could add the photo as an attachment here, and he declined, stating they'd prefer not to have their artwork floating @ the internet.

So just go buy the mag, if you don't already subscribe.

Tom Gibson

[Guest 70 Electra]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">.... but how many wagons do you think came w/buckets?!

Tom Gibson </div></div>

Tom,

The number of Invicta Custom wagons (all 2-seat model 4635) was 298. Only a handful survive today, and the one in the magazine is the nicest. It is the same car shown on the page of my website that discusses Invicta Customs.